The Needle's Work Sampler

The Needle's Work Sampler

The Needle's Work - Dawn Lewis
27 ct. Tea stained linen
DMC

Wanted to share my progress on the next in line to stitch from my stash.  As previously posted, I am trying to stick to my plan, of stitching my stash by copyright date.  This beauty is from 1991, and is a reproduction style sampler.  After finishing Ann Rayner, I was oh so glad, that this is really a simple little sampler, with lots of pretty colors, and a variety of stitches.

Great starter sampler, for someone, who is knew to sampler stitching, and would like to try some other stitches other than "X."  So far I have done the Rice Stitch, Herringbone Stitch, Double Running Stitch, an Long Arm Cross Stitch.  The band I'm working on right now, also calls for Satin Stitch.  Other bands, will use the Montenegrin Stitch, and Italian Cross Stitch, Algerian Eye Stich, Two-Sided Italian Cross Stitch.

Great illustrations in this little pamphlet of the different stitches, and so far, I haven't had a problem following the steps to complete the stitch.  And...I haven't had to pull out any of my 3 "go to" books when I don't understand, the concept of a stitch a chart is requiring.

Yesterday, so very proud of myself, when I changed the beater bars on both my upright vacuum cleaners, that I just didn't like they were picking up anymore.  Dixie still requires a haircut, and I still haven't completed my living room accent pillows.  Still working out the concept since I'm not using a pattern, and just winging it.  But can't afford to just really be wild about winging it, since the fabric was $30 a yard, and I only purchased 1 yard. 

I wanted a share a bit, or even vent a bit, on an experience I had on a stitching FB group recently.  I belong to several, and am not going to specify which group it was.  However, some readers may be able to figure it out.  One of the groups, has a Stash Dive Thursday, where members go into their stash, and share a sampler that they haven't quite gotten to yet. 

I like to be an active participant of the groups I belong to, and so in my excitement to share and participate, I posted a picture of the sampler I am currently stitching.  I posted in the description, that it was a Reproduction Style sampler, and that it was a great one, for someone who wanted to try some new stitches. 

Since, I belong to many groups, to be quite honest, I don't always remember the specific rules for each group.   Evidently, this group is ONLY for reproduction samplers, and no other samplers are supposed to be posted there.  (By the way, I was not the only person, who shared a Reproduction Style Sampler.  One particular member, who was not the administrator, decided to take it on her own, and call me out for the post.  I ignored it.  Just like I scroll through/past many posts I receive on FB. However, when other members pointed out to this particular member, that she was not the administrator, and people shouldn't criticize other stitchers, the discussion went downhill from there.

I finally responded, and explained that I inadvertently shared my post, and apologized, but I thought her comments would have been better received with a friendly PM instead of calling someone out publicly.  To me, it's like being called out by the teacher in front of the whole class.  This women's defense to me was she didn't feel like it was in her ability to send me a PM just as a informative member, or since she wasn't the administrator,  but....it was perfectly acceptable to call me out publicly.  I finally decided, to delete the post, since it obviously upset her so much.  But evidently the administrator beat me to it.  I will tell you that because of this women, I decided to leave the Group.  At 62 years old, I don't need someone else policing my activity, and have better things to do with my time, and efforts, than openly tell this individual her comments are/were offensive to me.  And she really took the shine off belonging to this group and I don't need her negativity in my life.  As a stitcher, I love to share, love to participate, love to be helpful to others, so to borrow a line, I decided to take my bat and ball home, and I'll participate elsewhere, where my contributions will be received positively and without conflict!

Ann Rayner 1839 - Hints and Pitfalls

Evidently a lot of stitchers have Ann in their stash, and after I shared my updates and final finish, have expressed an interest of the things I discovered, in stitching Ann.  So, I decided to share these hints and discoveries, and then you can decide whether to ignore them, use them, or wing it on your own.

First of all supplies!
These are the colors I recommend that you should have 3-4 skeins of DMC of each color.  These colors are used over and over again, and are the predominate colors in the sampler.  If you have these on hand prior to starting, you aren't going to have to work about lot color changes.

DMC 347    3-4 skeins
DMC522     2-skeins
DMC760     3-4 skeins
DMC 3012  3-4 skeins
DMC 3363  3-4 skeins

Outside border

If you look at the border, prior to stitching, you'll note that there are squares that are left blank,

or have "\", or "/".  If you are like me, and especially since this chart is printed on large paper, you may want to make a working copy, to stitch from.  Note the blanks, \, /, and decide for yourself, whether you want to stitch in these areas with DMC 3363.  There is no DMC color associated on the symbols list for either the "/" or "\".  These same symbols appear randomly throughout the sampler, so you will need to decide how you want to stitch them or not stitch them!

Long Stems and Short Stems for Outside Border

These are stitched quite regularly, except for 2 places.  The pattern goes as follows, long stem, 11 stitches, short stem, 4 stitches.  The only exception, is on the top right side of the chart, there is a "5" on the chart, where there are 5 stitches instead of the four, like the rest of the chart.  Also, on the bottom left, there is one section that has 10 stitches before the short stem, instead of the 11stitches before the short stem.  It is clearly noted on the chart.  Also, the short stem on the top right side (3 one down) has an irregular stitch pattern.

Band after the first alphabet

Everyone stitches differently, I decided to tackle this band in 3 parts.  I stitched the top line, 3 stitches, 1 down stitch, space, stitch, up, then 3 stitches.  Repeat.  This was the quickest for me.

Please note after the 17 section of 3 stitches, the border takes a shift down one stitch for the rest of the border.  If you look at the chart this shift happens right about where the N and O are.  This band follows a pretty specific stitch pattern, EXCEPT for the part around the letter X.  There are four stitches there and only there.  The second part of the band, I stitched, 3 stitches, space, stitch, space, 3 stitches, and just followed the pattern from the top line of this band.  Bottom stitches of the band where stitched 3 stitches, up 1, stitch, space, stitch, down one, 3 stitches.

2 small alphabets and band in between

If you read the directions, it suggests to use 2 thread over 1.  I didn't.  Didn't like how it looked, I decided to use 1 thread over 1 (in fact that all areas that called for 2 over 1. Like the people and the lambs).  But that is up to you.  According to the separate sheet of this chart, it shows you the detail for stitching the small alphabet and where to line up with the letter Z.  I didn't care for the suggestion, and adjusted my stitching, so that the alphabets end would line up on the far right, creating more space between the beginning of both small alphabets and the Z.

I stitched the smallest letters first, since it was the longest line.  I lined it up using the stitches from band above.  If you look at the band above, I counted over 4 circles from the only area on that band that has 4 stitches.  This sits slightly left to the letter U above it.  My little letter "a" starts in the middle stitch of the 3 stitches on the bottom part of the circle.  Both alphabets, and the line, end at a the middle stitch of the circle on the farthest left. (Last circle)

Stitching the Lady

If you look at the main chart for stitching the lady, she has 9 stitches of "Z" in a single line.  This is a mistake!  You won't find it until you look at the detail part of stitching the lady. It should be,

from bottom to top, 1 stitch of Z, then 4 rows of 2 stitches of Z , then 4 single stitches, of  Z.

Stitching the Pasture

Pretty much like it shows.  Although once again, it will show some blanks, or random symbols, that you will need to figure out to include or not.  The only thing, is the 3 sheep from the left's back hoofs go into the actual border of the pasture.  I missed that, and so my 3rd sheep's back hoofs, begin 1 stitch up where they supposed to be.

Ann Rayner - 1839 Finish

This evening I put the last stitches in Ann.  Thankful, I am done, just so I can move on to another project(s).  I think before I start another sampler from the 1990's, I have some other things that I really need to take care of, that have been sort of postponed, while I sewed like a fiend, to finish Ann.

Things like house cleaning, and I really do have a few sewing projects, I really have to finish.  Can tell you, I am still not 100%.  I've had this terrible cold, and it just seems to want to linger on.  Been doing a lot of sleeping, so it's a wonder I got any sewing done!  Plan to try to go to bed early this evening, since I didn't work in a nap today.  Hopefully tomorrow, I will feel even better.

I did manage to purchase another chart.  Couldn' t resist!  Someone was stitching it on one of the FB groups, and it just called out to me.  Luckily, I found the chart on ebay, for around $13.00 plus postage, and since I had all these ebay bucks from Christmas shopping, the chart cost me, a whopping $1.72.

Name of chart is Eugenie Deval by Reflects de Soie.  Hasn't arrived yet, but I understand it is in transit.

Well, I also managed to sell the Hall Tree this week.  Got it out of the house, and figured the $150. I made from the sale, goes to offset some of the cost I paid for the Grandfather clock.  I also told my husband, I needed to start saving towards getting some of my cross stitch framed, as they are really beginning to pile up!  Although I love the sewing, they don't do me very much good, rolled up, and kept in a box.  Plus, maybe it's a good time to try to go for my sampler wall.

Well,, that's bought all for this week!  Happy Stitching all!


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